Waiting
by hjea
Summary: Inspired by a FireflyFriday challenge a little while ago The arrival of Serenity's newest crew member has Wash vibrating with anxiety.


A/N: This takes place in the happy-sappy world that is the future of Firefly in my brain. In reality though, if the show   
had been allowed to continue, I highly doubt that this would have happened, because, lets face it people, this IS a   
Joss Whedon show.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Firefly, FOX would no longer be in existence. Also, Simon and Kaylee would be snogging like   
mad rabbits in March.  
  
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Wash jumped up and started pacing the room once again. "What's taking so long?"  
  
He looked desperately at the other occupants in the room, clearly looking for a satisfying answer. He wasn't about to   
get one.  
  
Kaylee and River were dozing together on the couch, Shepherd Book was bent over his bible and Jayne was sitting   
hunched on the stairs, every now and then shooting a look at the infirmary's covered window, hoping perhaps that   
he would spontaneously develop x-ray vision.  
  
Wash continued his pacing, "I really don't think its supposed to be taking this long, it started at lunch yesterday,   
does it usually take this long?" He once again looked around the room. "ANSWERS PEOPLE!"  
  
The sudden noise made everyone jump in surprise and look round at Wash, who at that point was nearly vibrating   
with anxiety.  
  
Kaylee wiped a hand across her eyes and looked tiredly up at Wash. "What was that?" She asked, while   
suppressing a yawn.  
  
"I said," Wash was very clearly at the end of his rope, "What. Is. Taking. So. _Zhou ma _long?"  
  
Jayne and Book both just shrugged and resumed their previous tasks. "I don't know, but I think she's doing all right."   
Kaylee said, clearly trying to be helpful.  
  
At that moment, a load moan sounded through the infirmary's walls, soon followed by a very male sounding yelp.   
Kaylee's face immediately blanched, and she hurried over to the infirmary door. "That wasn't Simon was it? She   
didn't hurt him or nothing?" Both she and Wash now had their faces pressed to the window.  
  
"Doc probably got a little too friendly with her nether-regions, gave him a good kick in the head." Jayne's leer was   
replaced with confusion as he was met with a set of glares from all points around the room.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The labour process, from the preliminary stages of labour to the delivery of the placenta takes on average   
approximately 18 hours."  
  
River had obviously seen fit to add her two cents worth of comfort to the situation at that point, but if she thought   
that it would help Wash, she was sadly mistaken.  
  
"18 hours! I can't wait that long – I'll, I'll go crazy!"  
  
The preacher finally looked up from his bible. "Go?" He said, a slight trace of a smirk flicking across his kind face.  
  
Whatever Wash was about to retort with was cut off, as a load throaty scream reached all their ears. Kaylee looked   
up at Wash, "Do you think that's –"  
  
There was another shout, this one ending in a whimper and then a pause. The crew gathered around the infirmary   
door, all of them holding their breath… waiting.  
  
A wail sounded, building up to the long cry of someone clearly enraged at being brought into the cold bright world.  
  
"Oh my God, oh my God!" Kaylee turned to Wash, her eyes bright with happy tears and pretty soon the whole group   
outside were all jumping up and down in excitement, hugging and congratulating each other.  
  
At that moment, Zoe walked around the corner, a sleepy toddler held to her hip. "We miss anything?"  
  
Like her husband earlier, she didn't get a response, but was simply pulled into the fray of excited happy people.   
"Guess so." She smiled as the sound of the baby's cries reached her ears.  
  
The joy of the situation had brought the two-year-old out of her naptime grogginess, and she reached out her arms   
to Wash. "Daddy!"  
  
Wash took her from Zoe and swung her around until she was sputtering with giggles. "Guess what baby? You've got   
yourself a cousin! That's right, Katya, someone to play with, and torment, and to teach them about dinosaurs, and   
too…" He stopped spinning, and brought a hand to his head, "Oh God am I relieved."  
  
Book walked over to Zoe and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I was just thanking God," he spoke at a low whisper,   
"That it wasn't you in that room right now, or I have no idea what state Wash would be in."  
  
Zoe smiled widely, and walked over to place a big kiss on Wash's cheek. "That's my man, getting worried enough for   
all of us."  
  
The wailing inside the infirmary had yet to cease, and Jayne rolled his eyes and put his fingers up to his ears.   
"Certainly has gotta set of lungs on him."  
  
Kaylee smacked him on the arm, none to gently, "Oh hush up, means the baby's healthy. Now no more bad remarks   
like that or we may not get to see."  
  
Jayne rolled his eyes once more, "Kaylee, they can't _hear _us."  
  
"Now."  
  
Book turned to River, "River what –" But his question was answered for him as the infirmary doors started to slowly   
slide open.  
  
The crew hushed, and simultaneously took a step back.  
  
Malcolm Reynolds stood in all his captain-y glory, clothes wrinkled and sweaty, face haggard, eyes bleary and blood   
shot, holding in his arms a wriggling mass of blue blanket.  
  
"Everyone," he said, the proudest look ever on his face, "I'd all like you to meet the newest crew member of   
Serenity." He tuned the blankets towards them, "My son."  
  
They crowded forward. The baby was splotchy and a weird pinkish-purple colour with a scowl adorning his tiny face   
to rival Mal's on his worst days. He was the most beautiful thing any of them had seen since Katya.  
  
Simon soon joined Mal at the door, looking just as tired as the captain. Kaylee and Wash, who had handed his   
daughter back to Zoe, both rushed at him. Wash reached the doctor first to envelop him in a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"Thank you." The pilot mumbled into his shoulder.  
  
Simon smiled wearily, "Here to help." He said, awkwardly patting Wash on the back. "Here take this," he handed him   
a pill, "It'll help you to calm down."  
  
Kaylee soon had her turn in the doctor's arms, and she reached up to peck him on the cheek. "You didn't get hurt   
did you?" She asked concernedly, while snaking an arm around his waist, "I thought I heard you holler."  
  
"Oh no, that wasn't me," Simon grinned, "That was the captain." He turned to address Mal; "You really should let me   
examine that."  
  
Mal carefully shifted the baby in his arms and held out his left hand, wincing as he flexed it. "It's fine, nothing that   
won't heal on its own." His gave shifted back to his son, "What I want you to concern yourself with is this little one   
and –"  
  
Shepherd Book stepped forward, smiling fondly down at the infant. "What are you going to name him?"  
  
Mal's face went blank, "_Wo de tian a_, I don't know. I'm still in awe here. Come see her." He stepped back into the   
infirmary and walked over to the examining table, closely followed by everyone as they quietly shuffled in.  
  
"Inara?"  
  
The woman had already started to doze off, having no energy left from the events of the past 12 hours, but she   
slowly opened her eyes and smiled sloppily as the crew circled around her. "So, what do you think of him?"  
  
Kaylee stepped around and bent to gently kiss Inara on the cheek. "'Nara, he is all kinds of beautiful."  
  
Inara raised a shaky hand to touch Kaylee's face, "Thank you _mei mei_." The mechanic beamed back at her, and   
walked back to Simon's side.  
  
Moving her head up with difficulty, Inara caught Mal's eyes and nodding, he placed their son in her arms.  
  
"Careful", she warned, as he started to move his arms away, "I'm afraid I might drop him I'm shaking that badly."  
  
Jayne looked over his shoulder to Simon, "How much you give her Doc?" He boomed. Inara snorted, "ugh, not   
enough," she said, while experimentally shifting one leg under the sheet, "I can barely move."  
  
"Savour it while you can," Zoe advised, "Pretty soon you're gonna be so run off your feet that'll you'll look back   
fondly on this time." Zoe shifted Katya around on her hip, and smiled affectionately at her as the toddler grinned   
around her thumb.  
  
"Well, I'm going to have to insist that everyone clear out," Simon finally declared firmly, "Inara and the baby need   
their rest." Before Mal had the chance to open his mouth to protest, Simon added, "And you can have the cot   
Captain, I've already made it up for you."  
  
Reluctantly, everyone started to file out, Kaylee lingering the most until River dragged her out by her wrist. Mal left   
soon after, for a much needed glass of water, all the while insisting that he would be back as soon as humanly   
possible.  
  
They were alone.  
  
Inara looked down at the baby resting quietly in her arms, and smiled as he yawned widely and opened and closed   
his hand, learning for the first time what to do with it. "I'm glad you're here, _bao bei_. I've been waiting a long time."   
She ran a finger lightly over his dark hair, and touched her lips to the top of his head.  
  
She heard a footstep outside, and looked up to see Wash step into the infirmary's doorway. "Not interrupting am I?"  
  
"No," Inara wiped away a stray tear that had rolled down her face, "Just getting acquainted."  
  
Wash smiled and stepped into the room, walking over to her bedside and picking up her hand.  
  
"Big day?"  
  
"Yeah. Big day."  
  
Not needing to say anymore, they squeezed each other's hands once, before Wash turned back to leave.  
  
"Oh and Inara?"  
  
"Yes?" She looked back up at him.  
  
"Snazzy looking little guy."  
  
She nodded and blushed, turning her face back to her son's. "Mal's eyes. He'll probably turn out like him too, if I'm   
not careful."  
  
Wash laughed and nodded as well. "He's got a lot to live up too." Stepping out, he walked towards his bunk, already   
thinking of new dinosaur stories to tell his daughter for the night.  
  
END.  



End file.
